Zimmerman verdict was just and reasonable

Regardless of Eric Holder's contention, the doctrine of retreat is not a federal law but restricted to the states to determine self-defense laws. Most states have adopted the Castle Doctrine. Castle laws remove the duty to retreat before using deadly force when one is in their home or in many U.S. states just simply where one can legally be, the so-called "stand your ground."

Supreme Court decisions have confirmed that federal law excludes a requirement to retreat if one is lawfully in place and not the attacker.

Civil rights activist Justice Harlan, writing for a unanimous Court, stated that a person cannot be found "guilty of murder because of his having deliberately armed himself for purposes of self-defense." Quoting from leading state Supreme Court cases, he explained that a man is not obliged to flee from an assailant.

Other cases support this doctrine; E. Allison v. United States: Self-Defense is for Juries to Evaluate, E. Allison v. United States: There is no duty to retreat before using deadly force.

In the Zimmerman case only self-defense was adjudicated, not the law, as many want us to believe. Race also was excluded by all parties involved including Martin's parents. That Zimmerman was being beaten and in fear of his life was supported by the witnesses and his injuries.

Zimmerman was legally on watch due to numerous robberies and had the right to keep visual contact with Martin until the police responded to his 911 call. No testimony or timeline refuted his interrogation that he lost sight of Martin, who ended up appearing and attacking him. It is a tragedy Martin was killed but he had absolutely no other injuries to show Zimmerman had initiated the physical conflict and challenge anyone to present contrary legal evidence.

Now we have the hatemongers, minority, white, and media, wanting to further cause dissension by playing racial politics even as the FBI investigated thoroughly and found no racial animus in Zimmerman's life. Censored is his tutoring black children, black prom date, exposing the police cover-up of a black man killed by white kids, and that he campaigned for Obama.

John Skoufis

DENVILLE

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Zimmerman verdict was just and reasonable

Regardless of Eric Holder's contention, the doctrine of retreat is not a federal law but restricted to the states to determine self-defense laws. Most states have adopted the Castle Doctrine.

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